CALL FOR CHAPTER ABSTRACTS

Ghana-Korea Relations Since 1977: Past, Present, and Possibilities

Editors: Jinsang Lee (Korea Aerospace University) and Lloyd G.A. Amoah (University of Ghana)

Under Consideration with Palgrave-Macmillan Publishing

Chapters approved will receive remuneration.

1 Introduction

Over three days in 2017 (April 11-13), the Centre for Asian Studies at the University of Ghana organized a commemorative conference on the theme “40 years of Ghana-Korea Relations: Retrospectives and Prospects”. In 2027, Ghana-South Korea (hereafter Korea) relations will mark the golden jubilee of the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between these two countries in 1977. Since 1977, the ties between Ghana and Korea have deepened and extended across many sectors including the economy, trade, development finance, education, migration, cultural exchanges, science and technology, health, agriculture, and sports among others. To be sure Ghana-Korea interactions have been mediated by the differing and divergent socio-economic, political, and technological fortunes of both countries. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Ghana began to take steps to address its economic and political challenges which culminated in the establishment of democratic constitutional rule in 1993 and with it modest economic gains. By the time Korea joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1996, the Northeast Asian nation had established itself as a global leader in many fields, including in education, technology, and sustainability.

Ghana-Korea relations have proved one of the most enduring of Africa-Asia interactions and attracted consequently both scholarly and popular interest. As these ties head into the fifth decade, it is imperative that a critical assessment is undertaken of the historical, national, and international factors that have shaped and re-shaped them taking into full critical account the pluses and negatives. This book aims to do this and in doing so should make a contribution to the emergent but still limited literature in the form of full-length books that critically examine the relations between African and Asian countries (Hevi, 1963; Amoah, 2020; 2021; Samson, 2012; Shaonan; 2024[in press]; Alden and Yu-Shan, 2021) at a granular, comparative level and over the long durée. Such books have become necessary as Africa-Asia relations have deepened and extended in the last thirty years. 

The following framing questions will be addressed by the book to which authors are required to pay very close attention to in their chapters:

1.       What are the old(recurrent) and new issues, challenges, and opportunities in Ghana-Korean relations?
2.       What are the undergirding factors influencing new and emerging trends in Ghana-Korea relations in the face emergent realities such as the rise of China and the BRICS; Turkey’s forays into Africa; climate change and environmental sustainability; the new realities of the post-COVID-19 world; the moves towards energy transition; demographic and fertility shifts and pressures in developing states; emergent countries and advanced capitalist societies; the rapid advance of technology embodied in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and chips manufacturing among others?
3. What issues are proving intractable? Why?
4. What do we know or not know about the Ghana-Korea ties?
5. How can we find out more? What research is needed?
6. What are the best practices and key lessons?

2 Thematic Areas

 The cross-cutting foci for all the thematic areas are Ghana-Korea relations and the attendant issues, challenges, and opportunities; proposals that engage wider Africa-Korea relations are also welcome.  The following thematic areas, although not limited to them, will be covered:

• Political evolution of Ghana and Korea after their independence 
• Ghana-Korea Diplomatic Relations Since 1977
• Korea’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and Ghana since 1991
• Ghana and Korea Economic Development and Industrialization-Comparative Analysis
• Trade and Social ties between Ghana and Korea
• Africa and Korea Development Partnerships in sectors such ICT, agriculture, education, health etc

3 Call for Chapter Proposal Deadline:

January 1-March 15, 2024: Kindly submit (lgaamoah@gmail.com and jinsang.lee@kau.ac.kr) a 500 word synopsis/abstract on the topic/theme of your interest clearly outlining the central concern(s)/question(s) of the proposed chapter and in particular the methodological approaches and whether or not the work in question will be broadly empirical and/ or theoretical. Authors of accepted abstracts will be duly notified and updated on chapter guidelines.  

4 Chapter Requirements:

4.1 Length: 7200 words (maximum word count inclusive of abstract, endnotes and references); there will be further updates if need be based on publisher requirements.

4.2 Review: Chapter submissions will be peer-reviewed and subjected to Turnitin software. The editors and publishers reserve the right to decline or reject chapter submissions. Chapters accepted will receive remuneration.

References

Alden, C. and Yu-Shan, W. (2021).  South Africa-China Relations: a partnership of paradoxes. Palgrave Macmillan.

Amoah, L.G.A. (2019). General introduction: 40 Years of Ghana-Korea relations. Special Issue, African and Asian Studies, 18 (1&2), 1-5.

Amoah, L.G.A. (2020). Five Ghanaian presidents and China: patterns, pitfalls, and possibilities. Accra: University of Ghana Press.

Amoah, L.G.A. (2021). Sixty years of Ghana-China relations: friendship, friction, and the future. Accra: Centre for Asian Studies and University of Ghana Press.

Hevi, E.J. (1963). An African student in China. London: Pall Mall Press.

Samson, S.O. (2012). Nigeria-China Economic Relations: A Modernization Strategy. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.

Shaonan, L. (2024; in press). The History of Chinese Presence in Nigeria (1950s–2010s): Factories, Commodities, and Entrepreneurs. Routledge.